Photolithography has been a primary tool in the semiconductor industry, and industries that require microscopic features. Photolithography enables microscopic features to be fabricated with precision, varying configurations, and varying purposes. Many products and components fabricated with photolithography require different materials to be imaged and subjected to a gamut of chemical and reactive gas processes. Materials used in the semiconductor and industries requiring microscopic features have variations in surface chemistry that present challenges for the implementation of photolithographic processes.
The hard disk drive (HDD) industry, which provides data storage for the industrial world, uses photolithographic processes in many of its components, e.g. flex cables, integrated lead suspensions, air bearing surfaces, and magnetic transducers. These exemplary components have various materials that require selective etching; i.e. protecting one material while etching another. The material of choice for allowing selective etching is generally known as photoresist. Photoresist is required to adhere simultaneously to various layers of materials; protecting portions of some while allowing portions of others to be etched.